Tag Archives: LED signs

The 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi are just getting started, and people from around the world can’t wait to begin enjoying the games. With each new Olympics, the organizers try to put together an event that is bigger, more spectacular and more modern than anything that has come before. This year’s Olympics are no exception, and we expect it to be dazzling.

Over the course of the games, viewers will get used to seeing LED signs at just about every event. This ubiquitous technology has become a big part of public sporting events, and an integral part of the Olympics. Everything from figure skating to ski jumping relies on LED technology to keep athletes, judges, spectators and home viewers informed about what is going on. And considering the cold climate and harsh terrain of the Winter Olympics, there are few other technologies that could rise to the task.

The reason that Olympic organizers rely on LED signs is the same reason that so many gas stations rely on LED signs. When the officials in Sochi need to display standings, project judges’ scores, replay highlights, or incorporate videos and graphics into their ceremonies, there is no technology that works as well as LED. These are just a few of the advantages of using LED technology, in wintery Russia or at your gas station.

Illumination

Unlike analog signage, LED signs glow brightly in any weather. For events at night, or when visibility is poor due to snow or fog, having a sign that lights up is a huge asset. When you need your sign to be seen and the messages it carries to be legible, LED technology provides unparalleled levels of reliability.

Flexibility

It’s not easy to get a large sign up a wintery pass and then anchor it securely to the side of a mountain. Luckily, LED signs can go just about anywhere and still perform spectacularly. Thanks to its light weight, simple operation requirements and serious durability, this signage technology can go anywhere and do anything. That makes it the ideal solution for the Olympic organizers, and for gas station owners looking to upgrade their signage without completely redesigning their station.

Graphical Capabilities

LED signs can do so much more than just display letters and numbers. After a champion figure skater completes a flawless routine, the crowd wants to be able to watch the highlights replayed and they turn to LED signs to see them. This technology can project graphics, a wide variety of text and even full motion video. Simply put, there is no message you can’t communicate using an LED sign.

Affordability

Even for an event as spectacular as the Olympics, it is important to keep costs under control. LED technology offers plenty of benefits at an accessible price, even when the screens are dozens of feet wide. Olympic organizers know that they can get the signage they need without having to sacrifice the budget elsewhere.

Obviously, gas stations are not the same as the events at the Winter Olympics, but their signage needs are very similar. They both need to communicate clear and creative messages to as large an audience as possible, and that is why they both rely on LED signs. As you are watching the games this year, take note of how often you see LED signs in use, and think about what this technology could do for your station.

Image Source: www.flickr.com/photos/drowcliffe/4415682964

Original Source: http://blog.petroledsigns.com/sports-and-event-signage/winter-olympics-rely-led-signs

There is fierce competition in the gas station marketplace. For stations in high traffic areas, there may be four, five, or even more stations in close proximity to each other that are in direct competition. More remote stations do not have it any easier. Increases in vehicle energy efficiency in recent years allow drivers to go farther without filling up, meaning that it is no longer as urgent to stop at “the last gas station for 50 miles.”

With so many stations competing for a limited number of drivers, there is no excuse for running a shabby looking operation. Consumers have choices, and if they do not feel like your station meets their standards, they will simply go across the street or down the road. That is why it is so important for all gas stations, of all sizes and in every area, to stay on top of routine maintenance tasks like these.

Clean Bathrooms

No one wants to use a dirty bathroom, and when drivers come across one, they are much less likely to buy food, drinks and other items from a convenience store. Make sure that your bathrooms are clean, stocked with paper towels and toilet paper, and well lit. Dedicate an employee to check the state of the bathrooms at least once an hour.

Well Kept Stores

Gas stations are high traffic locations, and they can quickly get dirty and disorganized. Be sure that spills are cleaned up immediately, surfaces are wiped down regularly, and shelves are kept tidy, stocked, and organized. When rain or snow hits, put out mats so that customers do not track water through the store and create slippery surfaces. Appliances like refrigerators, soda fountains, and hot dog rollers also need to be kept clean and maintained according to the manufacturer’s specifications.

Working Pumps

There is nothing more frustrating than pulling up to a gas pump, getting out of the car, and discovering that the pump doesn’t work. Pump break downs are inevitable, but make sure that they are fixed as quickly and competently as possible. It is also important to check that pumps distribute gas quickly, that credit card readers work, and that towels and windshield washer fluids are stocked up. Periodically, take the time to clean oil and other fluids off the pavement of your gas station.

Appealing Signage

Your sign is the the first thing that customers see, and they will draw conclusions about your entire operation based on the way that it looks. Make sure that your sign displays the correct prices, looks clean and maintained, and reflects the image of your station. If a sign is extremely old or has lost its utility, consider updating it. With this and all the other maintenance at your station, determine when something is simply dirty, and when it is worn out and in need of replacement.

Create a morning, midday, and closing checklist of all the daily maintenance tasks that need to get done. Approaching this project in a systematic way ensures that nothing gets overlooked. Plus, performing simple maintenance helps you avoid costly repairs down the road. Make cleanliness and functionality a priority at your station, and your customers will thank you for it.

A highly visible sign is a gas station owner’s greatest asset. Unlike other business that use print, radio, TV and online ads to market themselves, gas stations have to grab a customer’s attention in the brief period of time that they are traveling by. An impossible to miss sign with the right message posted on it is the best way to do this.

That is why the positioning of signs is so important. It doesn’t matter how big or bright your sign is, or how clever or appealing your copy writing is, if your sign is not positioned correctly, its impact is reduced significantly. That is why it is important to take the time to carefully evaluate your location before you put up any new signage. It is also crucial to evaluate the positioning of your existing signage as the area around your gas station evolves. These are the factors you need to keep in mind.

Sight Lines

Where do most of your customers come from? Try to put yourself in the mind of a potential customer and imagine what they see when they look at your gas station. Make sure that your sign is not blocked by trees, other signs or harsh lights. Your sign is a beacon for drivers, and they need to be able to navigate to your location using it.

The angle of your sign is also important. Consider, for instance, a station that is right off the highway. If there are highway exits in both directions, your sign needs to be visible from both directions. If drivers are only able to exit going one direction, however, it is a waste of resources to try and communicate to drivers traveling in the opposite direction because they have no way to reach you. Understanding sight lines is a good way to avoid an investment in unnecessary signage.

Effect on the Station

You use your signage to draw customers in, but once they are at your station, you don’t want your signage to be an obstacle. Select a location that is out of the way so that it does not affect drivers, or the overall layout of your station. Make sure you understand the boundaries of your property lines, and consider the needs of neighboring businesses. Calibrating all of these factors along with the challenges of maximizing visibility can be a challenge, so do not select a location in haste. Once a sign is erected, it is cost-prohibitive to move it.

Access to Utilities

Make sure that you know the technical specifications of your signage so that you can select a convenient place to access electricity that also provides stable enough ground. Keep in mind too that you will likely want to clean your sign at some point, so being in proximity to a hose is also a consideration. Consult with your signage provider to help you understand the technology you are working with.

Smaller Signs

Thus far, most of these tips have applied to your gas station’s largest and most primary sign. But you probably also rely on smaller signs in your store windows, at each gas pump and on the roads leading up to your station. Apply the principles mentioned above to these signs too. Any sign that is overlooked is a sign that is not doing its job.

Choosing the right location for a new sign is a challenge, but with some planning, common sense and the right technical information, you can use your signage to speak to the maximum number of customers. If you have further questions, work with partners who have signage expertise before you commit to any location.

As one year gives way to the next, it is natural to reflect on the time that has passed and plan for the time yet to come. For most of us, this happens in the form of New Year’s resolutions to lose weight or spend more time doing hobbies, but it is important for businesses to reflect on themselves too.

How did your gas station do in 2013? Did you grow as much as you expected? Did you experience any significant setbacks? Most importantly, what are your plans for making 2014 your best year ever? If you have not asked yourself these questions, now is the time to do it. You have the whole year ahead of you, and the plans and investments you make now will affect the success of your business for the next 11 months. These are a few of the things you should think about as you prepare to thrive in 2014.

Products

Many gas stations do not spend enough time evaluating their product offerings. Certain things like gas, coffee and candy bars will never go away, but there are dozens, and even hundreds, of other things on your shelves that could be helping or hurting your business.

At the start of the new year, evaluate what is selling and what is not. Could you make more money selling fresh hot dogs than prepackaged sandwiches? Would your customers prefer it if you dedicated more space to fountain drinks and less space to cooler drinks? Rather than falling back on tradition, consider the effect that each and every product in your inventory has on your bottom line. Also, if you do choose to offer new products, do you have the signage you need to tell your customers about it?

Competition

Unless your gas station is in a particularly remote area, you probably face stiff competition, and may even be surrounded on all sides by gas stations that are very similar to yours. As you plan for the new year, it is important to take into account your current and potential future competition. If you are not prepared to fight for customers, they can easily choose to go elsewhere.

Try to objectively evaluate what your station does well, and what it does poorly. Do the same for the stations around you. Once you have this knowledge, identify ways to stand out from the competition. If your station is bigger, newer, friendlier or cheaper than the competition, find a way to accentuate these features. Makes sure that everyone passing by your station knows what sets you apart.

Marketing

Too often, gas stations rely on the necessity of their services as their only form of marketing. This is always a mistake, no matter how big your station is or where it is located. Customers need to know where you are, what you do and why you are the best in the area. Signage is a proven way to communicate all of these messages directly, while being affordable, and with flexibly.

In today’s petro marketplace, LED signage is the preferred technology. Not only are LED lights bright, colorful and easy to see from a distance, they allow you to deliver a wide range of messages to customers. Marketing for gas stations is all about making an appeal at the point of sale, and LED signage allows you to make a vast range of appeals. Let your LED signs tell people about your new products. Put up a message that sets you apart from the other stations in the area. Or simply use the adaptability of LED signage to give your station some character.

Updated signage should be a key component of your business strategy in 2014. This one-time investment improves the look of your station, grabs the attention of customers and allows you to communicate a lot more information than just gas prices and soda specials. Start preparing now, and get ready to have a great 2014.

If you are a college football fan, this is one of the most exciting times of the year. The season is coming to a dramatic close, followed shortly by the thrill of bowl games. If you have been following your favorite school every Saturday of the fall, it has all been leading up to this.

Anyone that has been to a college football game in person knows that the atmosphere is electric. College football fans tend to be more boisterous than professional football fans, and they bring loads of exuberant energy into the crowd each week. One of the ways that college sports officials keep the energy high, and grow team loyalty, is to use LED screens.

As LED technology has progressed, it has become possible to build bigger LED screens with a higher resolution than ever. It is now like having a gigantic HD TV that everyone in the stadium can watch at once, and that seriously enhances the experience for the fans. It is now possible to watch instant replays, look at player statistics, participate in crowd engagement activities like the “Kiss Cam,” and catch all the details of the action on the field.

All of this makes the game more entertaining, and provides fans with the kind of experience they have come to expect from watching games on television. That is why stadiums across the country are making a big investment in upgrading and replacing their existing stadium screens with advanced LED screens. There is almost an arms race to build the biggest and brightest. These are the current leading contenders.

Largest FBS College Football LED Screens (Dimensions in Feet)

Texas – 134 x 55.5

Miami (FL) – 138.5 x 48.5

Arkansas – 166.3 x 37.8

Southern California – 150 x 40

Michigan State – 114.8 x 47.2

These screens may seem massive, but they will be larger in the future. More and more, fans expect to have a highly visible video screen be part of the game watching experience. The next time you are watching a game on TV, keep your eyes out for the video screen, and you will understand how integral it is to the fans.

This bowl season promises to offer a lot of great games. Even if you are rabid about just one team, the excitement of bowl season is so infectious that is impossible not to tune into a few other games.

The unique weather conditions during winter have a serious effect on drivers. And for the same reasons, they also have an effect on your business. Winter storms, overcast skies and shorter days all make it hard to see – that goes for the road, and the signs at your gas station.

That is why LED sign technology has become so popular for today’s gas stations. In addition to being energy efficient and affordable, LED signs are highly visible, no matter what the conditions are like outside. When you also consider how adaptable they are, they become the obvious choice for gas stations that want to capitalize on the winter season. These are just a few of the ways you can use your LED signage to have a bigger impact.

High Visibility

It is worth stressing how easy it is to see LED signs compared to other kinds of signage. Printed signs become almost irrelevant when it is hard to see outside, and neon signs have a limited range and a high operating cost. LED signs, on the other hand, are bright, colorful, active and impossible to miss. Imagine being a driver on the highway during a winter storm and seeing an exit with two gas stations. The one with the easy-to-see LED sign is the one they are more likely to pull into.

Customizable Messaging

LED signs can display a wide range of messages in the form of text, graphics or moving images. That means that you can keep drivers informed about important or appealing information. Your sign could warn drivers about winter storms or adverse road conditions down the highway. You might put up advertisements telling customers that you sell ice melt, hot coffee drinks or antifreeze. Many gas station owners even use their LED signs to offer passing motorists a “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays” to put a personal touch on things.

Easily Programmable

Anyone that has stood in a winter storm changing the price of gas on an elevated sign knows what a chore it is. With an LED sign, you never have to leave the comfort of your station to change the display on your sign. Not only does this make your life easier, it allows you to switch up your messaging at a moment’s notice. When winter weather suddenly appears, you will want to be able to give your customers up-to-the-minute information.

Storm Resistant

In the past, there was the real risk of having your signage damaged or disabled during a rough winter storm. LED signs are a lot more durable than previous technologies, and they have been proven to last through rain, sleet, snow and driving winds. They are not invincible, of course, but if you want to invest in signage that offers true levels of durability, LED signs are the obvious choice.

Make an investment in LED signage this winter, and it will pay you dividends for many years to come. Plus, the benefits of this technology are not limited to wintertime. There are lots of ways LED signs can help increase business in the spring and summer, but we will save that blog for another time. Before the worst of the winter weather hits, think about upgrading your signage.

Image Source: www.flickr.com/photos/oregondot/6722411183

Original Source: http://blog.petroledsigns.com/led-sign-design/stand-out-through-winter-weather

There are a number of advantages to LED signage, from low energy usage to high levels of visibility. One benefit that many people overlook is how durable LED signs are, and how easy they are to maintain.

Unlike neon signs, LED signs do not use fragile glass tubes that burn out quickly and can easily be broken. And unlike printed signs, the display will not fade due to weather exposure. In order to make your durable LED sign last even longer, however, there are several easy actions you can take to extend its life. Use these tips to keep your LED sign glowing bright in any weather.

Unplug Your Signs

Some of the signs at your gas station you will want to leave plugged in at all times, especially if you sell gas 24 hours a day. But if your station closes at night and you have LED signs that you can turn off, do so. And unplug them too. This saves you energy in the short-term, and in the long-term it spares your sign from having to do unnecessary work. Make a note on your opening and closing checklist reminding employees to take care of the signs.

Wipe Your Signs Down

Like all signs, LED signs collect dust and dirt over time. This is especially an issue if you use LED gas signs in a dry, sandy climate with a lot of particles in the air. Simply wiping the sign down regularly can help to remove a lot of this grime and restore visibility. For larger signs, use a long pole with a rag attached. Avoid using water or detergents. This technique is also handy if blowing snow collects on your LED sign.

Perform Preventative Checks

A disabled LED sign can have a serious effect on your business. It is always better to catch minor issues before they become major problems. Make a schedule for yourself, and routinely check over the equipment your sign uses. Look for wear and tear, weather damage, reduced performance, and increased electricity usage. If you do not have the means to fix a looming problem yourself, schedule professional maintenance.

Position Your Sign Carefully

There are a number of factors that dictate the position of your sign, the largest being the vantage point of your potential customers. But when selecting a location, keep maintenance in mind as well. Avoid selecting a spot where the sign is particularly vulnerable to harsh weather, where the internal computer is at risk of water damage, or where animals and insects may harm the sign. With a little foresight, you can avoid unnecessary damage.

For more tips on keeping your LED sign in perfect running order, consult with the company you purchased the sign from. They know this technology better than anyone, and they will have specific answers to all of your questions. Rely on their expertise to keep your sign in great shape all year long.

Over the last several decades, many businesses have begun to use LED technology in their electronic signs. As the technology has become both more adaptable and affordable, it became advantageous to use LED rather than neon signs.

Neon signs are great, and there is still a place for them, but businesses both large and small now realize the potential of LED technology. LED signs provide the opportunity to use a stunning range of colors, to display full motion graphics, and to change the readout at a moment’s notice. That is why some of the biggest, brightest and most stunning signs being installed today are enhanced with LED technology.

Around the world, LED signs are going up that dazzle all who see them. These are some of the most jaw-dropping examples.

AT&T Stadium

AT&T Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys, was the first NFL stadium to make use of a full 1080p HD display for their arena screen. The display surface measures 72 feet high by 160 feet wide and offers replays, crowd reaction shots, advertisements and graphics. The screen is so large that several teams have had punts bounce off of it during games. Like everything in Texas, the LED screen at AT&T Stadium is extra big.

Times Square

Times Square has always been known for creative, oversized electronic signs. In earlier days they were primarily neon, but today the landmark location is filled with stunning LED signs. One of the most impressive is the Walgreens sign which was installed in 2008. The sign is made out of a series of diagonally-aligned panels, so that the display wraps around the side of the building seamlessly. More than 30 custom built computers control the display, which shows everything from ads to breaking news.

The Podium

When the LED sign on the side of the Podium Tower in Dubai is completed, it is expected to be the largest LED sign in the world. The sign will literally cover one side of the building and stretch to a height of 33 stories. Once lit, it will be visible for up to 1.5 kilometers. Amazingly, the sign offers a full color display but does not obstruct the flow of natural light into the building.

The Invisible Tower

This one is still in the design phase, but when it is completed it will be one of the world’s architectural marvels. The South Korean government has approved plans to begin construction of “The Invisible Tower,” a skyscraper whose entire facade is covered in an LED skin. Using a sophisticated series of cameras, the skin will reflect the surrounding landscape so that the tower does not appear to be there at all. In addition to being nearly invisible, the tower will be one of the tallest building in the world when it is completed.

In 20 years time, there is no telling how far LED technology will have advanced. The potential is immense, but already LED signs offer exciting opportunities for anyone who wants to grab attention. If you are ready to update your signage, learn more about everything LED technology can do.